


Shot In the Night (Through the Heart)

by upsetkids



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Jongdae is an arms dealer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 04:35:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10823874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/upsetkids/pseuds/upsetkids
Summary: Joonmyun falls in love in his car.





	Shot In the Night (Through the Heart)

12: 36 A.M.

Joonmyun shifted and turned his head to peer out of the passenger side window. The night was dark and brisk and he'd seen no one outside during the hour he'd been waiting. It'd been fifteen minutes since Joonmyun last looked and nothing about the street had changed. The club's doors were still closed and the light from the windows that spilled onto the sidewalk provided Joonmyun with just the amount of hope he needed to carry on believing Jongdae was alright.

He'd showed up because of the phone call.

There had been no hello, no common flirtatious comment that sat wobbly in Joonmyun's stomach for hours or even a soft call of his name. Just a rushed and breathless, "Can you come meet me?" Joonmyun had never gotten dressed so fast in his life, and he hated himself for it. 

The street corner had been desolate.

"Just wait for me," Jongdae was wearing his bomber jacket again. It was a nice jacket with a lot of colorful patches and pins that Joonmyun did not understand. Whenever he brought them up with the intention of getting a solid answer, Jongdae would just smile and lean forward that much further of the way, so close that Joonmyun thought he was going to kiss him. He never did. "Ok?"

Joonmyun could not stop staring at him. The allure of his mouth and the red of his wind-chapped cheeks. Something in Joonmyun's gut told him it was bad idea.

"You'll be out quick, right?" It was 11:30. "By midnight?"

Jongdae's eyes had left his, a tell-tale sign Joonmyun had learned during their many nighttime rendezvous, that he was lying.

"Midnight. I promise. Just don't leave, ok? And no matter what you hear or see do not come in."

"Ok."

"I'm serious, Joonmyun. Don't leave me and don't come inside."

One hour. 

 

They'd met at some random uptown party, hosted by a friend of a friend of a friend. Baekhyun's friends. He had many, all of whom were far cooler and dangerous and handsome than Joonmyun could ever hope to be, and yet it was Joonmyun's couch Baekhyun insisted crashing on after a long night of partying or a hard day at work. It was Joonmyun Baekhyun told his deepest secrets, his less than innocent fantasies and his shockingly domestic plans for the future -- it was Joonmyun Baekhyun insisted come to the party. 

"Come on, Joon," he'd begged, while they'd waited for their dollar slices at a rundown twenty-four hour pizza joint Joonmyun was sure they'd never step in had Baekhyun been sober. "You've got to get out more. When was the last time you got laid?"

Joonmyun had stuck out his tongue. "I don't know and I don't care," He did care. "Where is this party anyway? Do you even know who's hosting it?"

The cashier had been staring at Baekhyun longingly since they'd walked in, and it was becoming quite amusing. Joonmyun had to admit that Baekhyun was a sight after dancing; mostly drunk, but still beautiful, with his skin flushed and his dark hair a mess. He'd danced for hours in the club, stopping only for rounds of shots with random partygoers, and to ask, his voice laced with genuine concern, if Joonmyun wanted to leave. But Joonmyun didn't mind. He liked seeing his friend happy on the dancefloor and he liked how the friendly bartender mixed strawberry daquiris. 

Baekhyun had shrugged. "Some guy named Minseok," Oblivious to the cashier's affection, he thanked her and took their slices from the counter. "Um, I think Chanyeol knows him. You know how much he parties. Walk and eat?"

"Sure."

The night air proved refreshing. The streets were empty, with it being nearly 5 A.M. and all, and there were even white stars, if you squinted. Baekhyun finished his slice first and seemed to sober up, just a little. "As I was saying, this would be a great opportunity for you. Meet some new people. Greet the big, bad world."

Joonmyun had tried to keep his defensiveness at bay. He knew Baekhyun only wanted the best for him and Joonmyun wasn't sure he himself would call working nine to five as a file clerk for a company he hated the best. Joonmyun often brought his work home with him, and had little time to do anything he actually enjoyed.

"New people? I have you, Chanyeol and Yixing. I think that's enough weird and crazy, thanks." 

Laughing, Baekhyun shook his head in confusion. "Wow, I'm dizzy. Yixing?" 

"The bartender at the club."

Baekhyun hummed. "So that's why you're never bored."

It was Joonmyun's turn to shrug. "He's my friend."

"Yeah, yeah, and I'm your friend too. This pal says you've got to come to this party. I've heard there will be some less than reputable faces there too. Isn't that exciting?"

It had been at this point that Baekhyun stopped walking, held up a hand, and threw up his pizza. 

"I shouldn't have let you eat that," Joonmyun said, as he gently ran his fingers through Baekhyun's hair. His friend simply groaned and continued to empty the contents of his stomach into the gutter. "Well, someone's got to take care of you at this party." he thought. 

Baekhyun had been a handful since high school, but he was no less loved. 

It had slipped Joonmyun's mind at the time to ask what Baekhyun meant by "less than reputable faces" but it hadn't taken him long to find out on his own.

The party had been held in a penthouse apartment near the west side of the city. The music had been loud and dirty and if people weren't dancing, they were knocking back drinks or smoking or hooking up against every available surface -- clean or not. Joonmyun was here to watch over Baekhyun, mostly. Yet some insane part of him actually wanted to be here, if not to merely observe then to be apart of. Baekhyun had been right. It was fun to take part in conversations with people he wasn't close to, to feel a thrill when a stranger purposely brushed their fingers against the small of his back in passing. Jongdae had been one of these people. Except Jongdae had given Joonmyun his number.

It hadn't taken much after that. By the end of their first date Joonmyun was hooked. Jongdae was something like a force of nature. It was scary but exhilirating to watch his personality shift from kind and carefree to ruthless, in a manner of seconds. The change almost always happened after a phone call or when someone on the street stared at Joonmyun a little too long for Jongdae's liking. It hadn't taken long for Jongdae to confess to what he did when he wasn't around to steal the air out of Joonmyun's lungs with just one look. 

"I'm an arms dealer,"

Although Joonmyun was taken aback, he was far from shocked. Some nights Jongdae looked terrible, though no less handsome, with bruises on his knuckles and a limp in his step. Joonmyun had always known better than to ask. 

"Being with me isn't -- it isn't easy. I'm not sure if you're ready for that, Joonmyun. If you're ready to hear my story."

"I am." he'd replied, too quickly, and far too eager. He was pining. "I like hanging out with you, Jongdae. I like everything about you."

Jongdae hummed thoughtfully. Always teasing, he'd walked his fingers up and down Joonmyun's thigh. "What would I do without you, Joonmyun? Without you here to make me feel better."

"Fall apart, probably." Junmyeon said. Selfishly hoped. Jongdae hadn't replied. He merely took Joonmyun's hand in his and squeezed it tight. 

 

Joonmyun was growing increasingly worried as the minutes passed. He stopped checking the clock and focused his attention solely on the window of the club. He could see no figures through the glass which worried him. When he lowered the car window in an effort to catch a sound; a yell, a gunshot, there was nothing to greet his ears but the wind. 

He began to think the worst. Jongdae, bleeding out on a pool table as the result of a bad arms deal. Jongdae, being beaten to death yet hesitant to call for help, to shout Joonmyun's name. Because if he did, at the speed of sound, Joonmyun would be running in to help. 

With Jongdae, Joonmyun was suddenly more than a file clerk, the recluse, the designated driver. Jongdae treated him like a jewel. Jongdae had given him confidence. 

"No matter what you see or hear do not come in."

How could Joonmyun ever agree to that? The worry in his stomach had not subsided since Jongdae told him to wait and as the minutes ticked on, he was acutely aware that something wrong had occurred inside of the club. If Jongdae was not hurt, he would be soon. And no matter what would greet him on the other side of the club door, it was Joonmyun's duty to help in any way he could. 

He might have been in a little over his head. 

He was seconds from opening the car door when Jongdae stumbled out of club. The relief and happiness Joonmyun felt to see him up and walking was outweighed by concern as Jongdae got closer and Joonmyun caught sight of the bruises around his eye and left cheekbone. He swung the car door open immediately to let him in.

"Hey," Jongdae said, smiling and then wincing. "Thanks for waiting. Let's get out of here."

Joonmyun parked the car down by the docks. For a long moment, they sat there in silence, until:

"What --" He began to ask, but Jongdae beat him to the punch.

"Just a rocky deal. I've had these before. In the end, everyone gets what they asked for. Sort of."

"You're hurt."

Jongdae's eyes appeared darker than the night surrounding them. Joonmyun had hit some sort of nerve. "You've seen me injured before."

"This is different, Jongdae. This time I could have done something to help. If you had let me."

"You? What can you do, Joonmyun?" 

Joonmyun was shaking. "Don't belittle me --"

Jongdae snapped. "You ask me for too much! At least I'm not dead!"

Dead. The word opened a floodgate within Joonmyun. He was suddenly filled with overwhelming affection; a heavy, choking care and tenderness that threatened to suffocate him. He found he could not speak and so he reached out to smooth his fingertips over the bruises. The light touch caused Jongdae to gasp in pain, to groan in delight. The sounds turned Joonmyun on acutely. 

"Do you like it? Do you like it when you get hurt? Is that why you won't let me care about you?" Joonmyun pressed his fingers harder into the skin of his bruised cheekbone and Jongdae gasped again, this time in want. "Is this why you keep fighting? Why you won't stop dealing?"

Jongdae moved quickly. In one motion, he reached up to lower Joonmyun's hand from his face and tugged it roughly, so that Joonmyun fell towards him. Jongdae's mouth was then warm and soft against his own. It was a quick touch, a very first taste. Jongdae pulled away almost shyly.

"I fight and I deal because it's the only thing I know how to do. Beside pine over you." He licked his lips slowly and Joonmyun groaned softly despite himself, watching the movement. "Want to touch you all over, Joonmyun. Want you so bad. Will you let me have you?"

Joonmyun leaned forward to kiss him again, his body and mind burning with lust and curiosity and Jongdae welcomed him in, sliding his lips wetly and holding Joonmyun in place with one hand firm on the back of his neck. They kissed until it hurt to breathe.

Until Jongdae pulled away, moving to open the car door as he did so. The cold, winter air washed over Joonmyun's heated skin, making him shiver.

"See you later, baby." he smirked and at the sound of the door slamming Joonmyun was left with the tightening of his heart. He no longer knew what was good in his life and what was bad. He knew only that Jongdae fit somewhere in between.


End file.
